The present invention relates generally to sun visors and specifically to a lamp disposed in an automotive vehicle sun visor.
Vanity mirror lamps have long been employed in automotive vehicle sun visors. These traditional vanity mirror lamps provide one or more light bulbs and lenses adjacent to the periphery of a mirror. The illuminated vanity mirror assemblies are usually covered by a sliding or pivotable lid. A switch attached to the lid is commonly actuable to complete an electrical circuit thereby turning the light bulbs on and off. Examples of such conventional lamps are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,278,736 entitled "Automobile Sun Visor Vanity Mirror Module" which issued on Jan. 11, 1994 to Falcoff et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,503 entitled "Visor for a Vehicle" which issued on Jul. 26, 1988 to Vanden Berge et al.; 4,652,982 entitled "Illuminated Vanity Mirror Assembly" which issued on Mar. 24, 1987 to Flowerday; 4,364,597 entitled "Sun Visor for Vehicles Including a Mirror" which issued on Dec. 21, 1982 to Viertel et al; and, 4,227,242 entitled "Illuminated Visor Mirror Assembly" which issued on Oct. 7, 1980 to Marcus. While these vanity mirror lamps are primarily designed for illumination of a vanity mirror user's face, they can also be used as reading lamps when the sun visor is rotated against the windshield and the mirror lid is opened. However, the optical light dispersion pattern created by the lens fresnals specifically designed for face illumination would not efficiently and accurately direct the illumination to the optimum reading and courtesy positions, often forward of an occupant's lap.
Additionally, reading and courtesy lamps are commonly provided within center roof consoles of an automotive vehicle. The following U.S. patents show such lamps: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,062,559 entitled "Overhead Console" which issued on Nov. 5, 1991 to Falcoff; and, 4,893,867 entitled "Console Mounted to a Headliner" which issued on Jan. 16, 1990 to Hilborn et al. While these reading/courtesy lamps are functionally beneficial, they are often difficult to package in an easily accessible location in front of the vehicle occupant when combined with open storage bins, sunglass storage bins, remote control garage door opener compartments, compasses and the like. Vehicles having a convertible roof or a sunroof provide further packaging difficulties for center console lamps and storage bins. For many convertible or sunroof vehicles, the reading/courtesy lamps must often be incorporated with a rearview mirror. The reflective surface of the rearview mirror, however, is detrimentally susceptible to vibration caused by the added lamp weight.